US25872A - Stephen f - Google Patents
Stephen f Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US25872A US25872A US25872DA US25872A US 25872 A US25872 A US 25872A US 25872D A US25872D A US 25872DA US 25872 A US25872 A US 25872A
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- banjo
- instrument
- guitar
- strings
- stephen
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
Links
- 241000538562 Banjos Species 0.000 description 20
- 210000003127 Knee Anatomy 0.000 description 6
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 6
- 210000003813 Thumb Anatomy 0.000 description 4
- 230000001154 acute Effects 0.000 description 4
- 230000015572 biosynthetic process Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000005755 formation reaction Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000036633 rest Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000002023 wood Substances 0.000 description 2
Images
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G10—MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
- G10D—STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACCORDIONS OR CONCERTINAS; PERCUSSION MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; AEOLIAN HARPS; SINGING-FLAME MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G10D1/00—General design of stringed musical instruments
- G10D1/04—Plucked or strummed string instruments, e.g. harps or lyres
- G10D1/05—Plucked or strummed string instruments, e.g. harps or lyres with fret boards or fingerboards
- G10D1/10—Banjos
Definitions
- the banjo as at present constructed is a feeble instrument, its music forming a trifling accompaniment to other instruments, or the voice, and capable of being used to the extent of only one, or atmost two scales of music. From the peculiar construction of its body, open below, and of tensely stretched parchment above, it is highly resonant and gives out to the best advantage all the sound of its strings. On the contrary the guitar from the number of its strings, and from the peculiar construction of its neck divisible by frets (so called) into intervals of the musical scale, affords the means of adapting its sounds to all the scales within the compass of music.
- FIG l is a perspective view of my instrument, propose to unite the banjo body A, A, (which is covered, as usual, on the upper side B with parchment, but is entirely open on its under side;) with the guitar-neck C divided into musical intervals by the frets or small cross strips f, f, and is constructed in the usual manner.
- the banjo character and tone when wanted, I add to the guitar arrangement of siX strings, a seventh t being a thumb string, iitted like that string is in the banjo.
- the banjo is made with a cylindrical body as shown in Fig. 2 which represents the body reversed and shown in plan. rIhe neck C is affixed to the body vertically as shown in Fig. l by a knee formed terminus D which holds it firmly against the entire front of the body, the knee being secured'to the bar G which passes through the body of the instrument, and by which it is keyed by 7c to the front of the body.
- Fig. 2 represents the body reversed and shown in plan.
- rIhe neck C is affixed to the body vertically as shown in Fig. l by a knee formed terminus D which holds it firmly against the entire front of the body, the knee being secured'to the bar G which passes through the body of the instrument, and by which it is keyed by 7c to the front of the body.
Description
UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.
STEPHEN F. VAN HAGEN, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE KILBOURNE, OF SAME PLAGE.
BANJO.
Specification of Letters Patent No. 25,872, dated October 18, 1859.
To all whom it may concern:
Be it known that I, STEPHEN F. VAN HAGEN, of the city of Albany, State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in the Construction of the Musical Instrument known as the Banjo; and I declare that the following specication, with the drawings hereto attached as part of the same, is a full and complete description of my invention, which I have named the Dolce Campana Guitar-Banjo.7
The banjo as at present constructed is a feeble instrument, its music forming a trifling accompaniment to other instruments, or the voice, and capable of being used to the extent of only one, or atmost two scales of music. From the peculiar construction of its body, open below, and of tensely stretched parchment above, it is highly resonant and gives out to the best advantage all the sound of its strings. On the contrary the guitar from the number of its strings, and from the peculiar construction of its neck divisible by frets (so called) into intervals of the musical scale, affords the means of adapting its sounds to all the scales within the compass of music. But its body of wood inclosing the vibrating air within a chamber and only affording escape therefrom by a small opening in its upper surface has scarcely any resonance at all, so that the body of its sound is very much less than thatof the banjo, and much less effective, so as to be scarcely of any worth excepting as an accompaniment to the human voice.
My object is to combine the best points of these two instruments. I therefore, as shown in Figure l which is a perspective view of my instrument, propose to unite the banjo body A, A, (which is covered, as usual, on the upper side B with parchment, but is entirely open on its under side;) with the guitar-neck C divided into musical intervals by the frets or small cross strips f, f, and is constructed in the usual manner. For the purpose of giving to the instrument the banjo character and tone when wanted, I add to the guitar arrangement of siX strings, a seventh t being a thumb string, iitted like that string is in the banjo.
The banjo is made with a cylindrical body as shown in Fig. 2 which represents the body reversed and shown in plan. rIhe neck C is affixed to the body vertically as shown in Fig. l by a knee formed terminus D which holds it firmly against the entire front of the body, the knee being secured'to the bar G which passes through the body of the instrument, and by which it is keyed by 7c to the front of the body. This answers sufficiently well with the banjo whose strings do not require to be screwed up very sharply; but when used as a guitar the proper tuning of it requires a greater tension on the strings, so much so as to cause its thin body to yield and change its shape, injuring its musical qualities. To obviate this I shape the body of my instrument, so that its horizontal section shall be oval, the rear part of it being nearly circular, and the front acute oval or lancet shaped as shown in Fig. l, and in Fig. 3 which shows the body reversed and in plan, and partof the neck. The knee D rests against the pointed front to which it is fitted and secured and which will resist great pressure without change of form.
IVhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is
l. The combination in one instrument, of the banjo, parchment covered open body, with the neck and fretted linger board of the guitar; the thumb string of the banjo, being added to the usual strings of the guitar, substantially in the manner and for the purposes set forth in the within specication.
Q. I also claim the formation of the front part of the body of the instrument, of an acute oval or lancetform, in the manner and for the purposes set forth in the within specification.
S. F. VAN HAGEN.
Witnesses:
RioHD. VANE DE IVITT, A. V. DE VITT.
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US25872A true US25872A (en) | 1859-10-18 |
Family
ID=2095051
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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US25872D Expired - Lifetime US25872A (en) | Stephen f |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
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US (1) | US25872A (en) |
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0
- US US25872D patent/US25872A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
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